The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel.
Standard vehicle steering wheels may be provided with separate additional masses to be fastened at desired sites on the steering wheel skeleton. These additional masses are intended to increase the inert mass of the vehicle steering wheel as a whole and to largely prevent vibrations. Additional masses have generally hitherto been fastened to the hub.
As slight modifications to the steering wheel also lead to a different coordination of the steering wheel with respect to the inert masses of its individual parts, slightly lighter or heavier additional masses are to be able to be fastened to the steering wheel skeleton quickly and simply, without a reconstruction of the steering wheel being required. Such a fine coordination of the individual parts of a steering wheel is also appropriate if with the same steering wheel skeleton different embodiments are to be produced (e.g. with additional facings or function switches).
The invention provides a vehicle steering wheel, in which the additional mass for reducing vibration can be arrested quickly and simply on the steering wheel skeleton. This is achieved in a vehicle steering wheel which comprises a steering wheel skeleton consisting of a steering wheel rim having an interior space, and of a hub and at least one spoke connecting the hub with the steering wheel rim. The vehicle steering wheel further comprises at least one additional mass for reducing vibration fastened to the steering wheel skeleton and constructed as a separate part. The at least one additional mass is provided in the interior space of the steering wheel rim. At least one flexible clip is provided which engages on the additional mass and holds the additional mass against the steering wheel skeleton. This clip makes possible a simple, rapid clipping of the additional mass on the steering wheel skeleton. As through the clip a separate part is available for fastening the additional mass to the steering wheel skeleton, the additional mass can also be constructed slightly differently and hence also with a slightly altered weight, without a different clip being required. By using such a clip, the additional mass is preferably also to be pressed in a prestressed manner against the steering wheel skeleton. The prestressing is to be selected such that no vibrations can occur between the additional mass and the steering wheel skeleton. For this purpose, it can be advantageous if in addition also a form-fitting connection is provided between the additional mass and the clip. This form-fitting connection prevents a faulty positioning of the additional mass and the clip with respect to each other on installation.
Preferably, a further form-fitting connection is present between the clip and the steering wheel skeleton. This also facilitates the exact positioning of the clip on the steering wheel skeleton on installation. Furthermore, such an additional form-fitting connection serves for the additional securing of the clip on the steering wheel skeleton.
The above-mentioned form-fitting connections can be formed for example by a recess and a corresponding projection, which projects into the recess.
According to the preferred embodiment, several additional masses are fastened to the steering wheel rim by means of clips. The accommodating of the additional mass takes place here advantageously in the steering wheel itself, if the latter has a hollow profile which is open in cross-section. The clip presses the additional mass into the interior of this hollow profile and closes it. Thereby, the additional mass does not project outwards with respect to the steering wheel rim, or only projects slightly, and also does not prevent the process of encasing with foam.
The clip which embraces the steering wheel rim can be secured in addition by a shell-shaped hard panel or cover visible from outside, which presses together the free ends or edges of the clip. In this connection, the clip has a dual function by not only fastening the additional mass but also the visible panel to the steering wheel rim. The visible panel is preferably a plastic panel or a panel of a different material such as aluminum, wood or composite material and is arranged on the inner face of the steering wheel rim in steering wheels having a particularly high-quality appearance. Its fastening can also be achieved according to one design by a clip connection, by the panel, the clip and the foam casing of the steering wheel being coordinated with each other such that with a steering wheel which is already encased in foam, possibly even already covered with leather, the panel is clipped onto the clip.